England captain Alastair Cook was clearly frustrated by the crucial incident
during India’s pursuit of England’s 257 for seven when he caught Suresh
Raina at slip off Steven Finn, only for the batsman to be reprieved because
umpire Steve Davis had called dead ball.

The reason Davis had done so was because Finn had hit the stumps with his knee. It was a habit that caused controversy in the Test series against South Africa last summer, especially in the second Test at Headingley when Graeme Smith was ruled not out by the same umpire.

On the field here Cook was clearly unhappy, arguing to Davis that Finn should have received a warning before any ball was called dead.

The reason the ball is called dead is because the batsman could have been distracted by the bails being dislodged by Finn’s knee.

“There was a little bit of confusion,” said Cook. “Apparently we had been told that because he knocked them over twice in one of the previous games he was a 'serial offender’ and that he was going to get called straight away.

“In the heat of the moment I think a few of us might have forgotten that or whether we’d been told that, I was not entirely sure. You’ve got to clarify these things.

“I know it’s a tough job for the umpires, but it’s obviously frustrating because, at that time, that wicket would’ve put us in a better situation than we were. So it’s obviously frustrating when those little things don’t go your way.”

It became clear afterwards that Finn had hit the stumps twice during the first one-day international of the series in Rajkot, being warned the first time and then called the second. England coach Ashley Giles and Cook had been told that there would be no further warnings.

“I wasn’t totally sure what they had told us before,” said Cook, “He [Finn] did it twice in Rajkot and he was warned there, but I assumed that was just for that game. But I couldn’t remember them [the umpires] telling me as a captain.

“To be fair it has been made quite clear to us, I just couldn’t remember the conversation we’d had.

“But they are convinced they had it [with us] so I am going to have to take their word for it. But obviously a lot of things go through your head sometimes.”